Gas-engine.



71%. 893,268. v, PATENTED JULY 14, 1908.

- W. P. SGHLBIGHTBR.

GA 8 EN GI N E. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9. 1907.

WITNESSES:

WALTER F. SOHLEICHTER, OF SPRING CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAS7ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 14, 1908.

Application filed November 9, 1907. Serial No. 401,388.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER F. SoHL IoH- TER, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Spring City, county of Chester, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Gas Engines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the ac companying drawing s,.which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide means whereby when the speed of the engine exceeds a predetermined maximum speed, the igniter will be rendered inactive simultaneously with the cuttin off of the pressure fluid. It not infrequent y happens, particularly when the work on the'engine is light, that the engine constantly tends to run at a speed in excess of the desired maximum,

causing the governor, in machines in which provision is made for automatic re ulation, to throttle the motive fluid inlet-Va ve more than half the time, while the igniter continues to regularly operate with the result of great waste of electric energy.

My invention is designed to render the igniter inoperative whenever the inlet-valve is throttled or closed, and it is more particularly adapted for application to gas-engines of the type and general construction shown in the accompanying drawings, which also illustrate the application to such engine of my invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the part of the engine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section, partly broken away, on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 with the parts in the position they assume when the speed of the engine reaches or exceeds its desired maximum.

Only those parts of the engine are shown which cooperate with the parts embodying my invention and which it is necessary to understand in order to understand the mode of operation of my invention.

a is the cylinder having the inletvalv echest I) and the outlet-valve-chest 0. Within the inlet-valve-chest are two inlet valves, not shown, such as are used on certain types of gas engines for controlling the admission of motive fluid thereto, said valves having secured thereto upright valve-rods d and 6 respectively. The valve rod d slides in a guide d secured to the valve chest and is opshown.

g. The valve connected with the valve-rod e, and with which my invention is particularly intended to cooperate, is also operated from the cam-shaft g, as hereinafter described. The valve (1 is regularly opened and closed, but admits no air and gasolene or other motive fluid to the engine cylinder unless and until valve e is opened. When valve eis opened, it admits the explosive mixture to the valve-chest, which mixture is then drawn through the previously opened valve d and into the cylinder. Within the outlet-valve chest is an outlet-valve,'not shown, having secured thereto the upright valve-rod f sliding in the guide f secured to the outlet-valvechest and o erated by a cam f 2 on the camshaft g. The cam-shaft g rotates in bearings a in a frame a secured to the cylinder at.

Secured to the cam shaft is a pulley h Whichis driven from the main driving shaft, not Secured to the pulleyh are arms '5 of the governor, to which arms are pivoted the governor levers i. The levers t" are pivoted erated by a cam d secured to the cam-shaft etween their ends and near their inner ends,

and in the revolution of the cam shaft, their outer ends swing out to adistance roportionate to the speed of the cam-shaft, eing yieldingly restrainedfrom swinging out bymeans of a tension spring t connecting the outer ends of the levers 4', with each other The hooked inner ends of the levers i enter or engage the groove of a collar is, which, together with the sleeve lc to which the-collar is secured, are s lined on the cam-shaft so as to slide freely t ereon under the influence of the governor.

Secured to, or forming part of, the sleeve 7c is a cam m, which operates the valve-rod a through the following mechanism: n is a lever of inverted L-shape (see Figs. 3 and 4) whose slotted lower end engages a pin n secured to the inlet valve-chest. In the upright part of the lever n is a notch n normally engaging a projection e on a head 6 secured to, or forming a part of, the valverod e, as shown in Fig. 3. The coil-spring e, surrounding the valve-rod e, and confined between the inlet valve-chest b and head e normally holds the valve closed; but when, in the revolution of the cam shaft, the cam m depresses the lever It, the latter, by reason of the engagement of projection e in the notch 11?, depresses the valve-rod e and opens the valve to admit motive fluid.

The lever n is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 3 by means of a spring of confined between projections n and a on the inlet valve-chest b and lever a respectively.

When the lever n is swung on its pivot pin a from the valve rod (2, against the action of the spring a as shown in Fig. 4, the lever n, in its downward movement, will fail to engage the valve-rod and the admission of pressure-fluid will be cut oil'. This action of l the lever n is effected automatically by means of a cam j, on the sleeve 7c, engaging a bar j secured to the lever n, this operation occurring when, under the influence of the governor, the sleeve is moved along the shaft a distance sullieient to move the cam in line with the bar j.

The igniter comprises the stationary lower electrode 0 and the movable or sliding upper electrode terminal 1), which extend respectively through lugs 0 and 29 secured to the neck a projeetingfrom the cylinder head, the opposing ends of the electrodes entering the combustion chamberformed bysaidneek. The electrode 0 is surrounded by insulation 0 and is confined in position by means of a set screw 0 extending through the lug 0. At the lower end of the electrode 0 is a binding post 0 to which is connected one end of a wire 1" connected to one pole of a battery or other source of electrical energy 1". The electrode p has secured to it the collar 19 between which and the lug p is confined a coil spring 1), which tends to raise the electrode p out of contact with the electrode 0, thus breaking the circuit.

Bolted to the frame a is a flexible arm .9, whose free outer end overhangs the upper end of the electrode p. The arm .9, at each revolution of the cam shaft g, is depressed by the action of the igniter cam 8, thereby depressing the electrode 29 into contact with the electrode 0 and causing a spark to form upon the recession of the electrode 29 under the influence of the spring Secured to the inlet-valve-chest b is a contact strip t. The strip projects upwardly into such position that the outer end of the horizontal arm of lever n makes good contact therewith, when the lever n is in the normal osition shown in Fig. 3. The strip may ave some spring action, although this is not necessary, but it must be sufliciently inelastic not to maintain contact with the lever a when the latter swings into the position shown in Fig. 4. The strip t should be insulated from the inlet-valve-chest t), which is done by securing a strip 25 of insulating material to the face of the valve chest opposite which the stript extends and by confining a Washer 29 of insulating material between the strip t and the head of the bolt t by which the strip tis secured to the valve-chest. The strip t is held in definite position by means of the thumb screw i which has threaded engagement with the strip 25 and impinges against the insulated face of the valve-chest.

Confined between the washer if and the strip 25 is one end of a wire r whose other end extends to the other pole of the electrical generator r.

It will be understood that the electric current passes from one pole of the generator 2" through conductor r, electrode 0, thence to electrode 19 when the latter is depressed into contact with the electrode 0, thence through the machine to the lever 22, and thence through the strip t and conductor r to the other pole of the generator 1'. During the normal up and down movement of thelevel' n, it slides along the face of the strip 1 and maintains good contact therewith so that the circuit remains constantly closed at this point. hen, however, under the inlluence of the governor, the cam is moved out on the cam shaft sulliciently far to bring it opposite the bar j, and the lever a is consequently swung out into such position that, in its downward movement, it will not actuate the valve rod 0, the contact between the lever n and strip t is broken, thereby breaking the circuit, and preventing a spark forming between the electrode 0 and p when the latter is depressed by its actuating cam. It will thus be clear thatwhenever,owingto excess speed, the pressure-fluid is shut off from the cylinder, the igniter will also be rendered inactive, thus saving waste of elec tric energy.

On the end. of the neck a is formed or secured a ring 1;, intcriorly thrmuled and of a diameter corresponding to the internal diameter of the neck; and engaging and surrounding this ring is a nut '1), which closes the open end of the combustion chamlwr.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a gas engine, the combination. with a valve rod controlling the supply of motive fluid, a gOVGlIlOl, and mechanism connecting the governor and valve rod by mians of which the operation of the latter is controllml, of the electrodes of an igniter, a contact strip, a source of current supply, electric connections from said contact strip and one of the electrodes to opposite poles of said source of current supply, there being a free path from the other of said electrodes through the machine to said connecting mechanism, and means carried by said connecting mechanism normally engaging said contact strip and adapted to be disengaged therefrom when. said connecting mechanism is moved by the governor into inoperative relation with the valve rod.

2. In a gas engine, the combination with the electrodes of an igniter and a contact strip insulated from the machine, of a source of current supply, electric connections from said contact strip and one of raid electrodes to opposite poles of said source of current supply, there being a free path from the other of said electrodes throu h.the machine to said contact strip, a vaIve rod controlling the supply of motive fluid, a overnor, a lever normally actuating'said va ve-rod and engaging said contact stri and means connected with and actuated by the governor to disengage said lever from the valve-rod and open the circuit between the last named electrode and the contact strip.

3. In a gas engine, the combination with 'the electrodes of an igniter and a-contact strip, of a source of current supply, electric connections from opposite poles thereof to one of said electrodes and said contact strip res ectively, a valve-rod actuating lever norma ly contacting with said strip, there being a free path for the current through the machine between said lever and the other electrode, a governor, a movable cam controlled by the governor, and means actuated by the cam, when moved by the governor, to break the contact between said lever and contact stri ll In a gas engine, the combination with the cylinder, of a stationary electrode, insulated-therefrom, a movable electrode not insulated therefrom, a contact strip, a source of current supply, connections therefrom to the contact strip and stationary electrode respectively, a valve-rod, an actuating lever therefor normally in contact withsaid strip, a cam shaft, a cam thereon adapted to swing said lever out of engagement with the contact strip and valve-rod, a governor, and connections between the governor and cam adapted to move said cam into inoperative position only when the governor exceeds a predetermined speed.

5. In a gas engine, the combination with a cam-shaft and the electrodes of an igniter, one of which is insulated from the engine, of an igniter cam on the cam shaft, a lever adapted to move longitudinally and pivotally, a cam on the cam-shaft adapted to move said lever longitudinally, a governor on the cam shaft, a second cam on the cam shaft, adapted to be moved by the governor into position to swing said arm on its pivot away from its normal position, a contact strip adapted to contact with said lever when the latter is in its normal position, a source of current supply, and electric connections from the source of current supply respectively to the insulated electrode of the igniter and to said contact strip.

6. In a gas engine, the combination with an igniter and a contact strip, of a source of current supply, electric connections therefrom to the igniter and contact strip respectively, a valve-rod actuating lever normally in contact with said strip, a cam shaft, a cam thereon adapted to move said lever longitudinally, a second cam on the cam-shaft adapted to swing said lever out of contact with the contact strip, a governor, and connections between the governor and second cam adapted to hold said cam in inoperative position except when said governor exceeds a predetermined speed.

'7. In a gas engine, the combination with a cam shaft, of an igniter cam and governor thereon, a sleeve on said shaft rotating therewith and movable thereupon, said governor engaging said sleeve, a lever pivotally mounted and adapted also to move longitudinally in contact with said strip, a valve-rod adapted to be actuated by said lever in its longitudinal movement, a cam on said sleeve adapted to actuate said lever longitudinally, a bar secured to said lever, a second cam on said sleeve adapted to engage said bar and thereby swing said lever on its pivot when said sleeve is moved beyond a predetermined position by said governor, said lever, in said swinging movement, moving out of contact with said contact strip and valve-rod, an igniter actuated by the igniter cam, a source of electric supply, and electric connections from said i niter and contact strip to opposite poles of said source of electric sup ly.

In testimony of which invention, l have hereunto set my hand, at Royersford, Pa, on this 7th day of Nov., 1907.

WALTER F SOHLEICHTER. Witnesses:

U. S; G. FINKBINER, NELLIE F. BROWN. 

